Coupling for electric wires



(No Model.)

H. HOWSON.

GOUPLING FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

No. 355,611'. Patented Jan. 4, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY HOWSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, f PENNSYLVANIA.

COUPLING FOR ELECTRlC VJlRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,611, dated January 4, 1887.

Application filed October 26, 1986. Serial No, 217,224. (No model.)

To rLZZ whom it may concer-1t.-

Beit known that I, HENRY HowsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Couplings for Electric fires of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct a coupling for conductors of electricity that said coupling can be readily applied, and will provide a neat, compact, and elieet-ive means of uniting said conductors.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional .view of my improved coupling in its simplest form, showing at each side wires dei prived for a short distance of their insulating covering and ready to he inserted into the coupling. Fig. 2 is a sectional View showing the wires joined by the coupling. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coupling; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, views of different forms of coupling made in accordance with my invention; and Figs. 7, 8, and 9, views illustrating different forms of joint.

In FigsA l, 2, and 3 A represents a metallic sleeve, of sullicient length to form a good connection,and liaving an internal diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the Wires B B, which are to be coupled. In the sleeve A is a mass, x, of solder, a space, a., being preferably left at each end of the sleeve to permit the ready insertion ot' the ends of the wires B B.

By the term solder I imply any metal or material having a lower melting-point than that ot' the material of which the couplingsleeve or conductors is composed.

In order to couple two wires, a portion of the insulating material is first removed from the end of each Wire, as shown in Fig. l, and after the wires are, by preference, scraped to clean the saine they are inserted into the opposite ends of the sleeve and caused -to press upon the mass of solder x. Heat being applied to the sleeve, the solder in the same is melted, and the ends of the Wires approach each other, as shown i'n Fig. 2, displacing the molten solder which lls the space between the Wires and the interior of the sleeve,

so that when the coupling is cool a secure unionot the wires is effected, said wires being soldered together and to the sleeve. It will be seen that Wires. of any diameter less than the internal diameter ot' the couplingsleeve A can be readily and securely united in this Way.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the metallic sleeve A incased with insulating material, which may be glass or other material suitable for -the purpose, and which may be applied either before or after the coupling is made, the latter plan being preferred when the insulating material is such as to be injuriously affected by heat. Vhen an insulating coupling` is desired, ho\vever,I prefer to make the sleeve A of glass or potters ware, as shown in Fig. 5, and I prefer to roughen the"inner surface of the sleeve in order that the solder maytake proper hold thereon, or the sleeve may be expanded in the center, as shown in Fig. 6, to prevent the solder from being dra-wn longitudinally therefrom, and the ends ol' the sleeve may be flared, as shown in said figure, so as to permit the insulating coverings ot' the wires to enter the sleeve l'or a short distance.

Fig. 7 illustrates four wires cou pled together by a sleeve. rlhe wires may be bent Within the coupling-sleeve, or nicked or roughened, in order to insure the proper hold ot' the solder thereon, to prevent the wires from being drawn`V apart, and, il' desired, the opposite end ol the coupling-sleeve can be compressed upon the Wires by pinching eachend of the sleeve vvhile it is hot.

Where the Wires are inuchsmallcr in diameter than the interior ot' the coupling-sleeve, I prefer tolap the ends of the wires as shown in Fig. 8. ,y

One of the advantages ofmy improved coup-Y ling is that it is available il'or coupling wires of different diameters, as shown in Fig. 9, as Well as wires of the sar-ne size.

I-claim as niy invention I. A coupling for electrical eonductors,eonsisting ol a sleeve containing solder, and having an outerface ot' insulating material, all substantially as specified.

2. A coupling for electrical conduetors,con-

sisting of a sleeve of glass or equivalent insulating,` material containing solder7 all substantially as specified.

3. Acoupling for electrical conductors, con- I l l In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification 1n the presence of 1o two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY HOVSON.

5 sisting` of a sleeve containing a mass of solder, which is discontinued some distance from each cnil of the sleeve, all substantially as specified.

Witnesses:

JosEPI-i H. KLEIN, HARRY SMITH. 

